Growing with ChildrenChild Development Chapter 1

Children in your life Journal #1

› What people in your childhood do you remember b/c they had an impact on you or were important to you?

› Why do you remember them?› How did they impact you?

Journal #2› What is your relationship/experience

with children?› Do you interact with them often?› Do you feel comfortable around

children or do they make you nervous?

A. Why study children?Study of children began in 1920’s –

a. basically, prior to that, unconcerned with childhood as a particular studyb. saw them as miniature adults

REASONS WE STUDY CHILDREN 1. Understand them better

› why they do, feel, think the way they do 2. Gives you guidelines for future as a parent

› Know what kids are capable of so you have realistic expectations as a parent

3. Appreciation of God’s creatures› Realize that we are each miracles and they

way we develop from conception to death is amazing!

4. Discover that kids are fun!

5. Be able to apply learning to everyday life› Put what you learn into action each day› You may react differently to children because of

what you now know 6. Help with a career choice

› Can I work with kids everyday?› Am I truly interested in them and who they

are? 7. Understand yourself better

› Better understand why you did and still do the things you do

8. Powers of observation grow› With knowledge, you can observe children and

learn from it each day 9. Learn practical techniques of caring for children

› What are children’s needs at different ages› How to care for a newborn – 5 years

B. What is Child Development?

1. Def:a. Study of how children grow in different ways

- physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, & spiritually

b. we will be studying how a child develops in each of these areas from conception until the age of 5

D. Childhood1. Started studying children in the 1920’s2. Prior to this, children were thought of as

miniature adults, only differing in size, experience, & abilities

3. We now consider childhood a distinct period of life

4. We have studied how children develop in each dimension, what their special needs are, and how these needs can be met

5. In the present – changing attitudes & advanced in technology

E. Past & present1. Work

› Past – had to work hard, farming, household etc

› Present – job is learning how to grow, learn, & play

2. Nutrition & health› Past – many diseases, deaths

small pox either were breastfed or they were

very ill› Present - we have formula to feed

infants if not able to breastfeed Have vaccines to eliminate diseases also better health care & can

determine b4 birth if there are problems

3. Dress› Past – dress as small adults, dresses,

overalls, boots, bonnets, etc› Present – very stylish, more colorful, fun

clothing

4. Parental love› Same today as always in the sense of

parents loving their children› Today perhaps more knowledgeable

about special needs of children

F. Growth of child study1. Alfred Binet

› French Psychologist› Developed a series of tests to measure

intellectual processes & growth

2. Jean Piaget› Swiss Psychologist› Theorized that intellectual development

in stages related to age› Limits to what a child can learn during

that period of development

3. Sigmund Freud› Austrian Physician› Developed theory that the emotional

experiences of childhood have a lasting effect on the personality of an adult

4. Arnold Gesell & Erik Erikson› U.S.› Studied CD in terms of social &

emotional growth› Although must still must be learned,

certain characteristics seem to be true in mostly all children

C. Characteristics of DevThese are the 5 basic facts that are true for

human development: 1. Development is similar for everyone 2. Development builds on earlier learning 3. Development proceeds at an individual

rate 4. Different areas of development are

interrelated 5. Development is continuous throughout

life

1. Development is similar for everyone:

Children all over the world go through the same stages of development in approximately the same order

Children usually stand before they can walk, babble before they can talk

2. Development builds on earlier learning:

Skills a child learns at age 2 build directly on those learned at age one

Says single words, combines those words to make sentences

Development follows a sequence:› A step-by-step pattern

3. Development proceeds at an individual rate:

Follow similar pattern, but each child develops at his/her individual rate

Style and rate of growth differ from child to child

Each learn how to crawl, stand, then walk, but one may walk by the age of 9 months and the other 15 months

Go through same steps, but at different rates

4. Different areas of development are interrelated:

Child does not develop physically one week and emotionally the next

All areas of development interact and develop continually

5. Development is continuous throughout life:

Development does not stop at a certain age

Some periods are rapid and others are slow

Continue to develop from conception until death

Journal #3 Do you value play for yourself? Did you in your childhood? Do you for children today?

G. Importance of Play: 1.DEVELOPS ALL AREAS

› a. Physical Running, climbing, large motor movements

Strength & balance Puzzles, finger painting

Develops control of small motor movements & muscles

› b. Intellectuallysinging nursery rhymes, stacking blocks,

Gather, organizing, & using info about world

Solving problems – puzzles, what fits

Stimulating creativity & imagination

› c. EmotionallyHelping children work through life’s problems & challenges

Acting out rolesSense of control & powerLearn to deal with sharing

› d. Socially Parallel playPlaying beside each other, then playing together, sharing, taking turns, teaching

Cooperating Leadership, friendly competition

› e. Spiritually This is difficult to measure You can teach morals, fairness, sharing etc

Read Bible stories and implement them throughout play by role play and by moral lessons learned

H. Benefits of Play In A Nutshell

1. helps children explore the world 2. interacts with other socially

› Getting along with others, sharing 3. solves problems in play setting

› Intellectual dev 4. discover what they can do

› Builds on earlier learning, self-esteem 5. stimulates creativity & imagination 6. feel a sense of control & power

› Self-esteem, daring to try new things

I. Guidelines for observing children› 1.One of the most effective ways to learn about

children & their development is by watching them a. choose time & place b. interact with them c. record what you observe – facts, not opinion d. watch how children react with other children &

adults e. keep observation info confidential

› Remember each child is a unique gift from God, each made in His image – each is different, but special

J. Influences on Dev A. heredity

› Physical traits inherited› Could affect natural abilities

B. environment› People, places, things that surround them› Would you be different than you are now if

you had the same parents but grew up in a different household?

› Which do you think influences development more, heredity or environment?